Collabthology: Kindle of the Dead

By Matt Nord

Collabthology. Is it a real word? Yes. Will you find it in the dictionary? Probably not, unless you get one that I've found a scribbled the word "Collabthology" into.

But that's besides the point. What you hold in your hands is an anthology chock-full of fan-freaking-tastic horror stories (note that while most are zombie stories, not all are) from a ton of names you probably know as well as some new writers you may not know. Either way, you are in for a treat!

This anthology is also my attempt to introduce the public to the world of the Collaboration of the Dead. At the end of this anthology are the first 5 chapters from the Collaboration of the Dead, a novel featuring over 20 of the best and brightest writers in the horror/zombie genre. Each writer adds a bit of themselves to the story and makes it their own.

Collabthology features stories by Patrick D'Orazio, Gerald Rice, Mike Mitchell, Rebecca Besser, John McCuaig, Brandon Cracraft, Jeremy Bush, Ken Goldman, Lorraine Horrell, Marius Dicomites, Jamal K. Luckett, Douglas Hackle, Cassie Shaver, C.H. Potter, T.W. Brown, Tony Schaab, Suzanne Robb, Mihai Boc, Ben Langhinrichs, Michael S. Gardner and Matt Nord, poetry by Carey Burns, Karime Limon and Matt Nord and sample chapters from Collaboration of the Dead from Matt Nord, T.W.Brown, GNBraun, Zombie Zak and Stephanie Kincaid.

So, for those of you who don't know what Collaboration of the Dead is, this will be your first taste of what we are about! Bon appetit!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Matt Nord
• Release date: Jun 12, 2011

Matt Nord

Matt Nord lives in Central New York with his wife, Karen, and two sons, Jacob and Judah, and little princess Jordan. He is a fledgling horror writer with several credits under his proverbial belt, including several short stories published by Living Dead Press and Library of the Living Dead Press as well as stories to be featured future anthologies from Pill Hill Press, Wicked East Press and Static Movement Imprint. He is also senior editor of the new small press publisher NorGus Press. His most ambitious project to date may be the collaborative novel he is currently spearheading with 18 other authors, and will hopefully see published before his baby daughter graduates college.

Book preview

Introduction

Collabthology. Is it a real word? Yes. Will you find it in the dictionary? Probably not, unless you get one that I've found and scribbled the word Collabthology into.

But that's beside the point. What you hold in your hands is an anthology chock-full of fan-freaking-tastic horror stories from a ton of names you probably know as well as some new writers you may not know. Either way, you are in for a treat!

This anthology is also my attempt to introduce the public to the world of the Collaboration of the Dead. At the end of this anthology are the first 5 chapters from the Collaboration of the Dead, a novel featuring over 20 of the best and brightest writers in the horror/zombie genre. Each writer adds a bit of themselves to the story and makes it their own.

So, for those of you who don't know what Collaboration of the Dead is, this will be your first taste of what we are about! Bon appetit!

Matt Nord

Table of Contents

Hunger……………………………………………….

by Matt Nord

Animal Magnetism…………………………………..

by Parick D’Orazio

Candy………………………………………………..

by Gerald Rice

Fight the Bite………………………………………...

by Mike Mitchell

z0m813 5urv1v0r…………………………………....

by Matt Nord

The Hottest Laptop…………………………………..

by Rebecca Besser

Escape………………………………………………..

by Carey Burns

The Day Danny McAllister Decided to be a Hero….

by Matt Nord

Bold Isolation………………………………………...

by Karime Limon

A Cry for Help………………………………………..

by John McCuaig

Dead Haiku…………………………………………...

by Matt Nord

Breadcrumbs………………………………………….

by Brandon Cracraft

The Red Tide………………………………………….

by Jeremy Bush

Sight………..…………………………………………

by Matt Nord

The God Seeker……………………………………….

by Ken Goldman

Pitter, Patter……………………………………………

by Lorraine Horrell

The Possession………………………………………..

by Marius Dicomites

Karma Kiss…………………………………………….

by Matt Nord

Yesterday’s Hero………………………………………

by Jamal K. Luckett

Bully……………………………………………………

by Douglas Hackle

In the Dark, Moist Soil…………………………………..

by Karime Limon

The Photograph………………………………………..

by Cassie Shaver

Blood is Thicker………………………………………..

by Matt Nord

Thanksgiving Break……………………………………

by C.H. Potter

Simon Kendrick………………………………………..

by T.W. Brown

Hair……………………………………………………..

by Matt Nord

Homeward Bound………………………………………

by Tony Schaab

Dead Haiku……………………………………………..

by Matt Nord

Urban Cleansing………………………………………..

by Suzanne Robb

Strigoi…………………………………………………..

by Mihai Boc

A Friend for Jeffrey……………………………………..

by Ben Langhinrichs

Dead Haiku……………………………………………..

by Matt Nord

Shit House Poet…………………………………………

by Mike Mitchell

No Cause for Alarm…………………………………….

by Michael S. Gardner

Collaboration of the Dead Teaser Chapters

Chapter 1………………………………………………….

by Matt Nord

Chapter 2………………………………………………….

by T.W. Brown

Chapter 3………………………………………………….

by GNBraun

Chapter 4………………………………………………….

by Zombie Zak

Chapter 5………………………………………………….

by Stephanie Kincaid

Hunger

By Matt Nord

You can't even understand

the hunger I feel.

The need to feed

is too great to deny.

The flesh is soft,

the blood flows over my lips.

Satisfaction

for another night.

Animal Magnetism

By Patrick D’Orazio

The cabin is another ten miles, Betty said, peering at the map.

Aaron smirked. That thing isn’t a cabin, it’s an estate.

Aaron ignored the exasperated look on his wife’s face as they rolled down the road. Her stepdad’s cabin was perfect. It was remote, had all the amenities of home, and no one from his work knew about it.

Aaron glanced in the rearview mirror at the kids. Sarah was staring out the window, listening to her iPod, while Katie and Zack were arguing over whatever Nintendo DS game they were playing.

Shifting his eyes back to the road, Aaron scanned the hills surrounding them. They’d been on the road for the past four hours, and the farther they got from civilization, the better he felt. Even with the certainty that no one was following them, Aaron couldn’t help feeling nervous about their narrow escape.

Betty reached over to grip his hand. He responded with what he hoped was a confident smile.

Everything’s going to be okay.

Aaron fought to keep his smile in place. He wasn’t the only one who was nervous. Betty was just doing a better job of hiding it.

No one will find us at the cabin.

Aaron nodded and squeezed Betty’s hand. I know, but you don’t understand how determined those guys are. They put the entire lab on lockdown, and-

-and shame on them for letting you sneak out, she whispered. Aaron was surprised by the bold statement. He looked at the rearview mirror again, but the kids weren’t paying them any attention.

"Look, honey, I’m sure you think you know what’s going on, but I haven’t told you everything."

"I know enough, Doctor Caldwell. I married a research scientist working for a lab that has contracts with the Department of Defense. And even though you try keeping me in the dark, don’t you think I’ve picked up on a few things over the years?"

Aaron’s mouth remained shut. They’d been married for twenty, years and Betty could read him like a book. Still, how much could she know about his most recent project? He hadn’t let anything slip, he was sure of it.

It’ll be okay, honey. Arthur Biochemical can’t hold you prisoner, and they won’t chase after you. It’s not like the company has the resources to do something like that anyway.

Aaron’s face went pale and his hand limp in his wife’s grasp. He kept his eyes on the road as he took a steadying breath.

Aaron? Betty asked quietly, but he didn’t look at her for fear of what his eyes might reveal.

***

Aaron shot up in bed as screams ripped through his sleep. Fumbling with the lamp, he blinked through its bright glare as he stared at his wife, who was swatting desperately at her arms and legs.

Honey, what’s-

They’re all over me! Betty cried out as Aaron’s blurry vision cleared.

Dozens of tiny red bugs swarmed up and down her arms and across her chest. They were scattered across her silk nightgown, and more scurried across the sheets in an effort to get to her exposed skin.

Aaron reacted quickly, swatting at the pests on Betty’s face and arms. She screamed again as they crawled over her soft flesh. An array of tiny red welts bloomed on Betty’s arm and neck.

They’re biting me! Betty howled as they smashed and swiped at the bugs, turning them into a mushy pulp.

Aaron could see more of the red marauders climbing the bedposts.

Get off the bed!

Betty slid across the sheets, exposing more of the bugs as the covers fell to the ground. There were hundreds, and they looked like tiny cockroaches.

As they stood in the doorway of the bedroom, still swatting at the remaining hitchhikers, Aaron examined one of the insects close up.

They’re bedbugs, he said, his voice filled with surprise.

They’re disgusting is what they are! I can’t believe the cabin is infested with them, Betty wailed, rubbing at the phantom echo of skittering legs on her now-clear skin. Aaron traced the path of the vermin, which had come into the room through the cracked window next to Betty’s side of the bed.

I don’t understand this. They usually hide when you turn on the lights.

Betty glared at Aaron, and his scientific curiosity evaporated. He led her out of the room, slamming the door shut behind them.

Sorry, honey. It’s just strange to see pests like that acting so bold. Usually you don’t even see them when they bite you, because they disappear before you ever feel it.

As they turned from the bedroom door and headed for the couch in the spacious living area, they were startled to see a dark shape standing next to one of the kids’ bedroom doors. Aaron was the first to recover from the surprise and realize it was Katie.

Honey, everything’s okay. Sorry if Mom woke you up, but she had a nightmare. Go back to bed.

His arms still wrapped around his wife, Aaron led Betty to the couch. She kept looking over at their twelve year old, who hadn’t reacted to Aaron’s command.

Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Mommy and Daddy are fine. You can go back to sleep … Katie?

Betty switched on the lamp beside the couch. As light chased away the shadows, Katie’s parents gasped in horror.

What the hell? Aaron whispered.

Katie stood perfectly still, as if in shock, a vacant, catatonic look in her eyes. Smears of blood darkened her cotton pajamas.

Katie! Betty screamed as both parents launched themselves at their daughter.

Katie, are you all right? Aaron yelled as he grasped his daughter by the arms and shook her. When he did, he noticed rivulets of blood running down her hand. The breath went out him as he discovered a ragged bite wound on his daughter’s wrist.

Betty saw the oozing blood a split second after Aaron did.

Dear God, what happened? What did this to her?!

Aaron ignored his wife’s frantic wailing as he clamped his hand across the slick wound and felt loose, shredded skin slipping and sliding beneath his grasp.

We need to get a bandage on this before she loses more blood, Aaron said, clasping his daughter’s wrist tight with both hands.

Betty gripped Katie’s face between her hands and stared into her eyes, a look of frantic desperation on her face.

Baby, this is your mommy. Tell me what did this to you, she pleaded with the stiff-limbed girl.

Betty, listen carefully, Aaron interrupted as his heart threatened to pound right out of his chest. "I can’t let go of her wrist. You have to go get the first aid kit. Get some bandages … or even some towels. We need to stop the bleeding now."

But Betty wasn’t listening. She was focused on Katie’s eyes, which had begun moving sluggishly in their sockets.

Katie! Oh thank God! Katie, tell mommy that you’re okay, please!

Baby? Are you okay? Aaron chimed in.

Katie’s eyes rolled in Aaron’s direction, and her lips curled upward into a strange smile. Before he could react, Katie twisted out of Aaron’s blood-slickened grasp and tackled Betty, a maniacal laugh escaping her lips as mother and daughter collapsed to the floor. Aaron watched, stunned, as Katie’s head bobbed forward and her jaw snapped closed. There was a sudden intake of breath, then a sharp scream.

Aaron sprang into action, grabbing his daughter as she pummeled her mother with balled fists and howled like a loon.

Grabbing Katie and wrestling her away from Betty was surprisingly easy. She came up fast as her body contorted with laughter.

Katie reached back with one bloody hand and scratched at her father’s face. Aaron avoided the swipes as he wrestled the twelve year old to the couch.

Mom? Dad? What’s going on? What’s wrong with Katie?

Aaron heard Sarah’s voice over Katie’s muffled laughter as she bucked and convulsed beneath him. He struggled to gain control of Katie’s hands as her blood saturated the cushions.

Help your mother! was all Aaron could spit out as he put a forearm across Katie’s throat and snatched at her flailing arms.

Sarah cried out when she discovered Betty on the floor. Aaron heard crying and panicked voices and looked across the room. As he suspected, Zackary was standing in front of his bedroom door, looking lost and frightened.

Zack! Get some towels out of the bathroom! Aaron bellowed.

The commanding voice got the timid boy moving, and he returned with some towels a moment later. Aaron held Katie with one hand and snatched a towel with the other.

He spent the next minute or so working to wrap the towel around his daughter’s bloody wrist as she growled and convulsed on the couch. Aaron had no idea how he managed to complete the task without getting bitten or scratched. When he was done, he looked over at Zack, who was staring, dazed, at his sister.

Zack … ZACK! Listen to me: go pull the sheet off your bed and bring it to me. Do it, now!

The boy hesitated as his eyes shifted to his father. After a moment, he recovered and bobbed his head before returning to his room.

Get off of me, you cocksucker!

Aaron almost lost control of her as he heard her curse. Katie’s head twisted around beneath him as he stared at her, mouth agape. Obscene laughter poured from her lips as she winked at her father.

Unless you would rather do nasty things your little baby doll, Daddy. Is that what you want to do? she asked with an uncharacteristic leer.

Aaron could only stare as he his stomach curdled. He could not comprehend the trash coming out of his baby girl’s mouth.

Shut up, Katie, was all he could hiss as her struggles continued. Katie’s only response was to giggle like a mental patient.

A moment later, as Zack offered the bed sheet to his father, Aaron shifted Katie around so her rear end was in the air and her mouth was muffled by the couch cushion. Wrestling her arms behind her back, he grabbed the sheet from his son. Even as she continued to squirm and curse, Aaron managed to mummy wrap the child with it, binding her arms and legs to her sides. Once he had the sheet secure, he hoisted her off the couch, laying her on the floor.

Quivering, Aaron looked away from his younger daughter and wasn’t surprised to see Sarah and Betty gaping at him from a few feet away. Sarah held a blood-spattered washcloth up to Betty’s chin.

Dad, is Katie okay? Sarah asked in a trembling voice.

Aaron took a calming breath before he spoke.

She’s fine. I think she got bitten by some animal. She’ll be-

Sarah, interrupted Katie from where she lay on the floor. "You better stop spreading your legs for Bobby Maxell or everyone is going to know how much of a whore you are."

Aaron squinted in confusion at the outburst as Sarah’s face turn crimson with embarrassment. Before he could absorb what Katie had said, Sarah dropped the blood-soaked rag she was holding and turned to face Betty, her face tinged with disbelief.

You promised—you promised you wouldn’t tell anyone if I stopped seeing him! Sarah screamed.

Aaron stared at the small bite mark on his wife’s face, too stunned to comprehend what had just happened. It doesn’t look that bad was all he could think as Sarah stormed into her bedroom and slammed the door.

Sarah, I never said anything, I swear! Betty cried out as Katie cackled like an evil witch.

Aaron could feel the vein in his temple throb as it always did in high-pressure situations. It was beating like a jungle drum at the moment.

He watched Betty stand and stumble to Sarah’s bedroom door. Slamming her hand against it while jiggling the knob, she cried out again, pleading with the sixteen year old.

Honey! HONEY! Aaron interrupted after listening to her tearful cries for a few moments. We have a situation here.

Betty turned, blood dripping from her chin. There was a wild look in her eyes, filled with desperation and pain. As Aaron tried to maintain control of his squirming daughter, he spied Zack running back to his bedroom, perhaps in an effort to escape the madness that was swiftly claiming the cabin. He couldn’t blame the kid.

Get me something to gag her with! Aaron yelled.

As Betty stared, Katie leaned up and spit a wad of blood in Aaron’s face.

Look at how badly you screwed me up, Dad! I’m going to call children’s services on your ass! Katie howled with glee.

Katie’s cursing snapped Betty out of her reverie. She rushed to the kitchen sink and retrieved a dishtowel.

Hold her shoulders, Aaron commanded when she brought the towel to him. Once Betty had a firm grip, Aaron worked the cloth around Katie’s head. It took a few minutes, but he was able to force the fabric into her mouth and tie it off.

Aaron admired his handiwork. Katie continued to struggle, but the gag held and would prevent more outbursts. As he tried to catch his breath, he watched the devious gleam in his daughter’s eyes.

This has something to do with the lab, doesn’t it?

Aaron couldn’t look at Betty. He felt his wife’s eyes burrowing into him, judging him, as he tried to think of something to say. A cold trickle of sweat ran down his back.

Betty waited, and each second that ticked by felt like an eternity to Aaron.

It’s true, isn’t it? This happened because of whatever you were working on.

Aaron shook his head and kept his eyes fixed on Katie. All I know is something bit her … I don’t know anything else at this point.

There was no passion in the words, no sincerity. Aaron had always found it impossible to lie to Betty. The truth was he suspected the same thing. This must have something to do with that godforsaken XG23 gas they had been cooking up in the lab.

Stumbling backwards, his wife dragged her bruised and battered body over to a kitchen chair and slumped into it.

"Oh my God. We’ve been exposed to whatever it was you were working on. We’ve all been exposed."

Aaron’s head whipped around, his face pinched with anger.

Look, whatever’s happening we have to remain calm. Going into hysterics isn’t going to help anyone.

Realizing that getting angry would only make things worse Aaron took a steadying breath and looked back down at Katie. Her face was pale from blood loss, and her eyes were dilated. She muttered around the gag as she grew weaker by the moment. Blood from her wounded wrist seeped through the towel and sheet.

We have to get some real bandages for Katie’s wrist before she loses any more blood.

While Betty sat crying in the kitchen, Aaron’s mind raced. How in the hell did Katie get dosed with XG23? He hadn’t been exposed at work, so how had his daughter? She was showing all the symptoms …

I think there’s a first aid kit in the bathroom, Betty said a few moments later. She wouldn’t look at him, but he still felt relieved, as if he had received a stay of execution. He watched as Betty hoisted herself out of the chair and walked toward the bathroom.

Daddy?

Aaron turned to see Zack standing in his bedroom doorway, twisting his hands together like he always did when he was frightened.

Everything will be okay, buddy. Just go back to bed.

As he spoke, Aaron wondered if Zack could detect lies in his voice as easily as Betty could.

No, Dad, it’s not that. I heard something outside … weird noises.

Aaron stared at his son, his eyes narrowing in confusion. There was far too much going on to absorb this new information.

And that was when he heard it too. The chirrup of crickets and other night dwellers mixed with the wind whispering through the branches of the trees, but there was something else … something creeping around out there, pushing through the underbrush, snapping fallen branches underfoot.

The fear Aaron had felt when he first looked into the crazed eyes of his daughter increased exponentially.

They’ve found us.

It made sense. Arthur Biochemical had hired some shady characters once they’d gotten the latest contract with the D.O.D. They’d followed them here and dosed his daughter with XG23.

Glancing at Katie to confirm that she was still immobile, Aaron moved toward his bedroom. Hesitating for only a second, he threw the door open.

Bedbugs were everywhere.

Covering his mouth and nose, Aaron strode across the floor toward the suitcase at the end of the bed, doing his best to ignore the crunching underfoot. The sensation of bugs crawling over his feet and sliding underneath the elastic band of his sweats was impossible to ignore, but he managed to reach the closed bag and unzip it, launching the bugs that had been crawling on it across the room.

As he dug through the clothing in the bag, Aaron ignored the first few bites, but as they came in greater numbers, he began to panic. The bites were burning by the time he found what he was looking for. Aaron snatched up the revolver, sliding it into the waistband of his sweats, and then retrieved the box of bullets.

It took everything Aaron had to not run screaming from the room. The escape took seconds but felt like an eternity as he gritted his teeth to avoid crying out in pain. Once he was outside the door and had swatted away the last of the vermin, he could feel the tackiness of the mashed bugs on the bottom of his feet. It was a gross sensation, but the smell was even worse.

Looking up, he saw Zack staring at him. Betty was nowhere to be seen.

Get a towel and jam it underneath my bedroom door, was all Aaron said as he moved to kitchen table. And find me a flashlight.

Aaron’s hands shook as he dumped the box of cartridges out on the table. He carefully slid bullets into the cylinder of the .357 Magnum, ignoring his son’s movements and Betty’s shadow as she returned from the bathroom.

When Zack offered Aaron a flashlight, he snatched it out of his son’s hands without looking at him.

Aaron, what’s going on?

Ignoring his wife’s inquiry, Aaron walked to the single lit lamp in the room and clicked it off.

Aaron? she repeated, sounding frightened and puzzled.

Go back to your room, Zack, and shut your door, was all Aaron said as he moved toward the front door of the spacious cabin.

Turning, Aaron saw his wife’s silhouette as moonlight trickled into the room from the windows at the front of the cabin.

Before she could say anything else, he raised a finger to his lips to shush her and continued his trek to the front door.

Squinting out a window, Aaron scanned the dense mass of trees surrounding the cabin. He could see their Explorer parked next to the cabin. Nothing looked out of place.

Aaron blinked and refocused on a spot beyond the tree line, where something flickered in the moonlight. His heart raced as he tried to guess at what he saw.

Sliding the gun back into his waistband, Aaron grabbed the doorknob. The sound of the door creaking open echoed through the cabin as he stepped outside.

Aaron aimed the flashlight for the trees, bracing himself as he flicked it on and scanned the pines that stretched for miles around the property.

For a moment, there was nothing, but as the light glided across the open area around the cabin, something among the trees reflected the light back. Pulling the revolver out, Aaron pointed it and the flashlight in that direction.

It was a deer, its irises glowing in the artificial light.

His nerves fried, Aaron panned the light around again and caught the glint of more eyes. There had to be at least five or six deer sliding through the thick grass.

A jittery laugh broke free of Aaron’s lips as he let the flashlight’s beam dip to the ground. He shook his head at his own paranoia. But then the sound of more snapping underbrush caused Aaron to raise the flashlight again. The herd of deer was moving into the clearing, and it looked like there were more than five or six.

At that moment, another sound, distinct in the crisp night air, raised the hairs on the back of Aaron’s neck. It was a wolf’s howl.

Damn, that was close.

But it wasn’t the wolf’s cry that captured his attention. The deer were continuing their journey toward the cabin, and Aaron’s eyes were drawn to the buck out front. He had never been a hunter, but knew enough to know this was a ten-point buck staring him down.

Another howl ripped through the night air, and this time it was closer than before. There were other sounds, more movement in the trees deeper in the forest. The crack of splintering branches sounded like hundreds of firecrackers going off.

Aaron inched backward toward the cabin. Whatever was out there smashing through the underbrush was bigger than a deer or a wolf. He shone the flashlight deeper into the woods and saw several trees bend and sway as something smashed through them.

As he watched the trees, he heard a strange snorting noise. Aaron directed the flashlight back to the big buck, which had moved well past the clearing and was now standing twenty feet from the cabin. Aaron’s eyes widened in disbelief as it pawed at the ground like a bull getting ready to charge.

Stumbling back, Aaron grabbed for the cabin door as the animal launched its massive bulk forward. He managed to slam the door shut just before the four-hundred-pound beast rammed into it.

There was a cracking sound as antlers shattered, then a thunderous boom as the thick oak door rattled in its frame.

Aaron stood in shock, unable to do or say anything as he heard snorts and bleating calls of rage outside. Someone screamed behind him, but he couldn’t react to it as he heard more hoof beats beyond the door.

A shower of glass rained inward as the head of a doe came crashing through one of the windows.

Looking on in stunned amazement as the doe screeched angrily at him, Aaron watched the creature twist its neck around in the jagged hole, gashing its throat over and over as it tried to force its way in.

Aaron blinked as more heavy bodies smashed into the front wall of the cabin. The structure vibrated with the weight of the beasts, but Aaron couldn’t take his eyes off the enraged doe, whose blood gushed down shattered panes of glass as she continued to twist and contort.

The gun erupted in Aaron’s hand, and the doe’s left eye evaporated in a mist of blood and bone. He fired again and the animal slid out the window, leaving a trail of gore behind.

There was a ringing in his ears, but Aaron could still hear cries of panic coming from his family. Louder still was the cacophony of animal grunts and growls as more beasts plowed through the forest in their quest to reach the cabin. As the ringing subsided, Aaron could hear what he thought were wolves, bears, and even the hooting of owls as they approached.

Before he could comprehend the insanity closing in like a noose around his neck, a hand gripped Aaron’s arm and spun him around.

What’s going on? Aaron, what’s happening? Betty cried. Sarah and Zack were slumped in a far corner, clutching at one another, screaming in terror as each new animal assault rattled the walls around them.

Sweat poured down Aaron’s forehead as Betty continued screaming, demanding an explanation.